Evaluation of health care providers’ knowledge about physical activity promotion for adults with physical disability in Diyala City

Abstract

Background: Adults with disabilities are three times more likely than adults without disabilities to suffer from heart disease, stroke, diabetes, or cancer. Despite the fact that physical activity can help minimize the impact of many chronic conditions, approximately half of persons with disabilities do not participate in physical activity in their spare time. Caregivers' knowledge plays an important role in such people's health rehabilitation. Therefore, thus aimed to assess health care providers knowledge about physical activity promotion for disabled adults. Methods: A convenience sample of 47 health care providers was recruited using a non-probability sampling approach in Diyala Hospitals for a descriptive cross-sectional study. The questionnaire's dependability was established through a pilot research, and it was subsequently presented to experts for validation. The total number of items in the questionnaire for knowledge related to physical activity promotion was 23. The data was acquired using a self-reporting method and evaluated using descriptive and inferential statistical data analysis techniques. Results: The study's findings revealed that the majority of respondents were young male caretakers. According to the study's findings, 59.5 percent of caregivers had insufficient understanding about how to promote physical exercise.